Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-17


working in this campaign for or agains
any religious or political party. Noques
ton of preferment iS-inyolved. We have
not word to say for or against the Dem
ocratic party, the Republican party or the
third party, PrOhibitionists. No one OF
them Is on trial in this canvass. We
mean to say, distinctly and emphatically,
that we accept the place assigned to this
canvass by the wisdom Of our state Leg
islature. We understand that they de-
sgnedly ordered this election to take
place at time when there would be no
! other election, thus absolutely dissoCi-
sting it from all candidacy for Office, and
| leaving it to the people, as citizens, to
] determine as they deem best. The con-
stitution is for all the people, and this is
i to be voted on as q constitutional amend
FTnent, and not as party question.
sWe desire to be explicit on another
point; ibis is not local option contest,
nor an. effort to amend existing local
option laws.
If the people who indorse this move
ment are worthy of belief, there is but
one issue. If the enemies Of this reform
Shall be allowed to Dictate the motives
that aCtuate the Prohibitionists, teen it
will appear that thee prime objects
0frthe Teformers are to destroy the Dem
ocratic party, to take away personal lib
erty, lutte church andSstate, and gener-
silly dem0ralize.e the business interests
of the cOuntFY. But the strong common
sense and faith of mankind will hold the
declaration of principles enunciated by
those who propose to effect the reform,
to be true; and when this shall be &C
oHvTaI q 1nnip Of will
appear as now announced that this is
but another struggle for better govern
ment, and higher civilization.
Is the liquor traffic evil per Sc? Is it
injurious to the people, society and good
government? Is there any quality or
element in the traffic that cOmnends it
to right-thinking people? The people Of
this state are divided on this issue. Con-
ventions are called, declarations of prin-
ciples are announced, g pIan of cam Jaign
mapped out, the contestants are being
msrshalled on each side, the usual forces
and means are being employed to con-
vince and carry ajOrity of the voters
for and against it. The representatives
of the people in the Legislature have
adopted aud submitted for ratification
the prOhibitory amendment. The issue is
made by the people themselves; their
usual political leaders are in the field, but
this question has called forth new adyO
Gates, not the holders Of office nor seek
ers of political preferment. The lines ere
being sharply drawn, and their friends
are rapidly arraying themselves for the
conflict. This contest IS in striking con-
trast to all kindred contests heretofore
made; this is a single issue; nothing par
tisan, nothing political, nothing religious
and nothing tan2tiCaI. 1t stands like a
Cast-iron column in frigid simplicity,
"For State ProhibitiOn,n or, "Against
State Prohibition"
This unit issue, separated from all
others, absolutely free and Independent
of them, is addressed to the virtue, in
teIiigence and patriotism of the people,
and must depend for success upon argu-
ments founded upon truths well atteGted,
the oUtgrOwth of the experience Of the
people, exhibited in the administration
of our free government. It would
be incredible, judging from the his
tory of our struggles for civil liberty, to
conclude that any considerable body of
our people sought, directly or indirectly,
to weaken and destroy our free and en-
lightened institutions. And 1t is almost
as incredible to conclude that any con-
siderable body of our people would desire
to foster and expand business which
per Sc. possessed nothing good, and
which was admitted to be vicious in its
nature and influence, and that was an
enemy of the best interests of society
and government, and that the advocates
of such common enemy would apologize
for It's weakness &nd fOllIes, and appeal to
all powers admitted to be sound and good
to sink out of sight their detestatiOn and
adherence for it, and to meet it on terms
of friendship and good will.
AS par&dOXiCal as this may seem, still
the plain Inference of much that is said
in its favor is clearly traceable to such
sentiment.
The great leader of the opposition to
this reform, Senator Coke, VINO has done
for prohibition more than all other
men in the state together, and whose
declarations are quoted by them as pos
sessing oraCuIar force, in his speech
August -, 1886, is reported as using this
language:
81 yield to no man greater deteStatiOns
of the vices and crimes of drunkenness
than l have always felt. l will 90 as far
as any other in favor of legislation which
can be enforced, reducing the liquor
traffic to the lowest possible minimum,
but | will resist, come from what quarter
it may, in this or any other proposed leg
iSlatiOn the invasion of one single lot or
little of the personal rights ana liberties
of the people. Upon this point l will
mske no compromise"
There is no mistake here; the Senator
will yield to no man in his detestation of
the "YiCes and crimes of drunkenness"
Nay, he does not stop at his detestatiOn
of it's vices and crimes, but he will 60 as
far as any man for legislation that can be
enforced, which will be effective in re-
ducing the evils of the liquor traffic. But
he will resist any proposed legislation
which would invade zone single jot or
little of the personal rights and liberties
of the people. And on this he will make
no compromise" Amen.
Ia the position assumed, he favOrs that
legislation which will reduce this vice
"tO the lowest possible minimum" and
will oppose all legislation which will be
an invasion of the personal rights and
liberties of the people; and so will the
PrOhibitionists. The Senator declares
the people have the undeuiable right to
adopt this amendment and enforce it; we
must therefore conclude that the Senator
is for the suppression of the liquor traffic,
provided it can be effected without the
invasion of the personal rights and liber-
ties Of the people. Looking again to the
single Issue, is the liquor traffic evil, per
Sc? does not Senator Coke denounce it as
the author of vices and crimes, and hold
it in detestation? What advocate on that
side Of the question will dispute the truth
of the Senator's declarations and cross
swords with him on the vices and evils